You Can Now Get Fined $51,744 for Writing a Fake Review Online

In August, the Federal Trade Commission announced a ban connected writing, buying, oregon selling fake reviews online. Under the new rule, anyone who participates successful a fake online reappraisal could beryllium fined up to $51,744. The commissioners voted successful statement and it’s present successful effect.

This mandate includes AI-generated reviews (which person precocious invaded Amazon) and besides encompasses dishonest personage endorsements arsenic good arsenic testimonials posted by a company’s employees, relatives, oregon friends, unless they see an explicit disclaimer. The regularisation besides prohibits brands from offering immoderate benignant of inducement to punctual specified an action. Suppressing antagonistic reviews is nary longer allowed, nor is promoting reviews that a institution knows oregon should cognize are fake.

Phony online reviews are harmful not conscionable due to the fact that they mislead consumers but due to the fact that they make unfair competition. FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said successful a statement: “By strengthening the FTC’s toolkit to combat deceptive advertising, the last regularisation volition support Americans from getting cheated, enactment businesses that unlawfully crippled the strategy connected notice, and beforehand markets that are fair, honest, and competitive.”

Recent developments constituent toward the fake reviews occupation yet being taken seriously. Just past month, Google updated its review restrictions document with caller concern illustration restrictions for argumentation violations. It stated that immoderate Google Maps concern illustration caught with a fake reappraisal volition beryllium incapable to person caller reviews for a fixed period, person its existing reviews oregon ratings incapable to beryllium published for a circumstantial clip period, and person the leafage amusement a informing connection to users informing them astir non-compliant reviews having been removed.

Browsers person besides experimented with solutions by offering proprietary services to weed retired fake online reviews. Last October, Firefox began investigating a caller tool, Review Checker, powered by Firefox-acquired Fakespot, that is expected to automatically filter retired misleading reviews and counterfeit products arsenic you shop. The instrumentality is now available arsenic a built-in buying diagnostic connected the browser.